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Bridges to Wellness - Countywide Conference

While at the Bridges to Wellness conference, I attended a session highlighting the program "Rachel's Challenge"  Although this program has been around for many years, and may be familiar to us, I am still inspired by its message.

Rachel Scott was killed in the Columbine High School shooting, and she was a student who reached out to students with disabilities, new students, and students who were picked on.  She wrote about her moral principles in her diary, which was found after her death.  Her father has since created an educational program, spreading Rachel's ideas internationally.  The CCIU is promoting Rachel's Challenge in Chester County again.

"Rachel's Challenge builds compassion in relationships and strengthens community within schools.  Guided by a set of five challenges, students and faculty are encouraged to model and enforce behaviors, and start a chain reaction of their own."

The five Challenges are:
1. Look for the Best in Others
2. Dare to Dream
3. Choose Positive Influences
4. Use Kind Words
5. Start a Chain Reaction of Kindness

In light of the discussions regarding school climate that we have had here at Patton, these seem to be workable principles for our school community.  If we continue to discuss having tenets for Patton Middle School, I think this is a good place to start, and worth revisiting these ideas.

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